While Instagram is meant for users age 13 and up, younger kids are using the social media app. Here are some tips on safeguarding privacy.1. Change settings to "photos are private" if you don't...

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While Instagram is meant for users age 13 and up, younger kids are using the social media app. Here are some tips on safeguarding privacy.

1. Change settings to "photos are private" if you don't want the entire public to view them

2. Limit followers to your friends and block users who are strangers

3. Don't reveal your real name in your Instagram profile. Make up a username.

4. Think carefully before you geotag. Do you really want your followers knowing your exact home address or your current location?

5. Use the proper channels on Instagram to report inappropriate comments or pictures.

» Social News

Now that the moms have taken over Facebook, where is a kid to post?

Instagram!

The social media mobile tool, which was acquired by Facebook, is a popular site for kids to post pics, follow friends and connect their accounts with other sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

The company doesn't share demographic stats, but according to Nielsen, Instagram is the top photography site among tech-savvy, smartphone-toting kids ages 12 to 17 with 1 million of them visiting the site during July alone.

While Instagram is a cool photo-sharing tool that lets you be creative and edit pictures, it has all the functionality of a social network.

"Most of my friends are on Instagram," Julia Delucchi, 13, of Stockton said. "Definitely, there are more of my friends on Instagram than Facebook."

For tweens and teens who have grown up texting, Instagram is an even less wordy place to connect without all the pressure of trying to contrive witty or snarky status updates.

"I think it's a fun way to interact without talking," Julia said, describing how she can give her pictures a filtered look and change the lighting for a retro twist. "I think it's fun to see what other people are doing."

And for parents, it's proven to be a powerful bargaining tool.

"Before my dad took it away, I had 554 followers and I was following about 500," Julia said. "And I think I had posted like about 300 photos."

Hailey Williams, 12, of Stockton doesn't just have one Instagram account.

"Well, I have five," she said. "You can have one that is public that is open and anyone can look at. You can have one that is private and friends have to get permission to follow you. You can have fan accounts for like One Direction or Katy Perry. People have them for their pets."

She follows about 1,080 different accounts - mostly people but some that focus on solely on fashion or girlcentric trends. And she gives her followers something to like. On summer break she was posting an average of 10 photos a day.

Hailey explained that there are dozens of apps that help users get the most out of Instagram.

"Some you can use to make postcards," she said. "Others help you make a collage or add captions."

For instance, the Prinstagram app provides options to print Instagram photos as pretty and presentable mini albums, posters and stickers. Others, including Instac.at, helps users search for relevant Instagram photos based on hashtags (#) and keywords.

Guys that use Instagram said they like to post photos they take or screenshots of funny sayings, cartoons or sports heroes.

"One picture I posted of Buster Posey had about 30 likes," Michael Spessard, 11, of Stockton said. "I take pictures wherever I go. I like that you can mark where you are and tag your friends."

And in an age of high-definition, Instagram has ironically blurred the picture.

Literally.

"You can play around with the effects a lot," Michael said of the filters that give Instagram pictures the tell-tale haze. "You can make one picture look a lot of different ways."